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U.S. aircraft have begun flying surveillance and intelligence-gathering missions over large parts of Nigeria since late November, according to flight-tracking data and current and former U.S. officials. The activity signals deepening security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
Reuters was unable to independently confirm the specific intelligence being collected by the aircraft.
The renewed aerial activity in West Africa comes weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military intervention in Nigeria, citing what he described as the country’s failure to “stop the persecution of Christians.”
Flights Operated From Ghana
Flight-tracking data from December show that the aircraft, operated by a U.S. defence contractor, routinely depart from Ghana, pass through Nigerian airspace, and return to Accra, Ghana’s capital.
The aircraft are reportedly operated by Tenax Aerospace, a Mississippi-based company that provides specialised aviation services and works closely with the U.S. military, according to its website. The company did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Intelligence Operations Resume in West Africa
Liam Karr, head of the Critical Threats Africa programme at the American Enterprise Institute, analysed the flight data and said the operations appear to be coordinated from Accra’s airport, which serves as a key U.S. military logistics hub in Africa.
Karr said the missions mark one of the first visible signs of the U.S. rebuilding its intelligence footprint in the region following Niger’s decision last year to order American forces out of a newly constructed air base.
“In recent weeks, we have seen a resumption of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights over Nigeria,” Karr said.
Diplomatic Sensitivities
A former U.S. official said the aircraft was among several assets redeployed to Ghana by the Trump administration in November, though the exact number of aircraft currently stationed there remains unclear.
A current U.S. official confirmed that American aircraft are operating in Nigerian airspace but declined to provide further details, citing diplomatic sensitivities.
In a statement, the Pentagon said it has engaged in “constructive discussions” with Nigerian authorities following Trump’s remarks but declined to comment on intelligence operations.
Nigeria’s military spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Ghana’s deputy defence minister also declined to comment.
Aircraft Seen Almost Daily Over Nigeria
A Nigerian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. agreed to deploy surveillance aircraft during a 20 November meeting between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Flight-tracking data show that a Tenax Aerospace aircraft was spotted on 7 November at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, home to the U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters.
The aircraft flew to Ghana on 24 November, just days after high-level security talks between U.S. and Nigerian officials. Since then, it has been observed flying over Nigeria almost daily.
The aircraft is a Gulfstream V — a long-range business jet commonly modified for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Nigeria Declares Security Emergency
Last month, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu declared a security emergency and ordered the military and police to recruit additional personnel to address worsening insecurity nationwide.
